Fairfax County, Virginia
Among the top 13% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 10% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
- top 1% for broadband access
- top 2% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for monthly rent
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia with about 1,145,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on cost of living and monthly rent.
Official websitefairfaxcounty.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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57%46%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.3 in
muggy 82%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$145k100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$79kbetter than 1% of US counties
Home Value$667k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 1% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.03%better than 37% of US counties
Income Tax5.80%better than 29% of US counties
Sales Tax5.77%better than 90% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden12.42%better than 15% of US counties
Unemployment4.1%better than 63% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.1 in62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall14.9 inbetter than 47% of US counties
Sunny Days167 daysbetter than 2% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 43% of US counties
Comfortable Days78 daysbetter than 46% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk94.7better than 5% of US counties
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 30% of US counties
School Quality74.1better than 78% of US counties
Violent Crime859/100kbetter than 45% of US counties
Property Crime1540/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Community
Population1,145,35499th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.625th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6497th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0051st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+433rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)48.6%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)9.7%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)16.5%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)20.1%100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 15% of US counties
Walkability12.0/20better than 98% of US counties
Airport Distance12 mibetter than 98% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.9%better than 99% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.55better than 70% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 33% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fairfax County an affordable place to live?
- Fairfax County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $79k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Fairfax County?
- The median home value in Fairfax County is $667k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Fairfax County?
- Median household income in Fairfax County is $145k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Fairfax County?
- Median gross rent in Fairfax County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Fairfax County safe?
- Fairfax County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 859/100k (better than 45%). Property crime is 1540/100k.
- What is the weather like in Fairfax County?
- Fairfax County averages 79°F in July and 36°F in January, with 47.1 in of annual precipitation and about 167 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Fairfax County?
- Public-school quality in Fairfax County is above average, scoring better than 78% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Fairfax County?
- The average one-way commute in Fairfax County is 30 min.
Other counties in Virginia
Explore Virginia
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)